Author's Note: Well, I am SO not very good at updating this regularly, am I? Once again, I greatly apologize to my readers. I'm just not having much motivation to continue this, it seems. But don't worry, we have Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon coming out sometime soon, and hopefully that game will give me all the motivation I need! So stay tuned for future chapters!

Chapter 14: Return to Yoshi's Island

As Luigi continued to make his way back to where the Wario brothers awaited him, the motor gradually grew heavy, and sweat formed on the sides of his forehead, dampening his hat and hair a little. Even with the Battle Stars, it seemed, Luigi only had so much stamina. He could only hope that he'd have enough to take down Bowser. Thankfully, it wasn't long before Wario and Waluigi's boat as well as the brothers themselves came into view and Luigi was able to slow down. He was also glad that it wouldn't be hard to get the brothers to install the motor while he took a rest. If the events from earlier meant anything, Wario and Waluigi wouldn't hesitate to do whatever Luigi told them to, as they now knew exactly what he was capable of should they refuse.

"Good, you both are here," Luigi spoke up as he approached them.

"Yep, see, we didn't wander off at all!" Wario confirmed.

"We've been here the whole time, just like you said!" Waluigi added.

"Excellent," Luigi commended as he set down the motor and began panting afterward. "Now, I busted heads to get this motor for you and I'm exhausted from carrying it. So you two install it. Right now."

"Yes, of course!" Wario quickly obeyed. He and Waluigi immediately took the motor and went to work.

Heh, I bet I could make these two my servants if I wanted, Luigi thought to himself with a chuckle. But that's not really my style. Still, who'd have thought that having power like this could be so much fun? The plumber then sagged against a nearby tree, rested his head upon his arms, and crossed his tired feet.

"Be sure to let me know when you're finished. We depart for Yoshi's Island immediately after," Luigi continued.

"Right, you got it!" Waluigi replied nearly instantly.

Luigi then began to imagine making Mario do favors for him as well. It obviously wouldn't be a very nice thing to do to him after what he'd been through, but it did sound like a good way to pay him back for all the times he mistreated Luigi. Still, it could end up being far too similar to having a servant or maid, and as Luigi had mused, it wasn't something he was interested in. It wasn't like he was some power-hungry maniac, despite that he was, in actuality, searching for power. He simply needed it to bring down Bowser and rescue his hostages. And maybe, be an even better hero than Mario ever was.

"Alright, it's all set!" Wario announced minutes later. "We'll leave when you give the word!"

"Good. Let's push the boat into the water and get going then," Luigi replied and stood up.

With that, the three lined up behind the boat and shoved it into the water. With the combined strength of all three, the boat was afloat in a matter of seconds. They climbed inside afterwards, and once Wario started the motor, the boat took off through the sea. The three held onto their hats as the wind rushed in their faces. It actually felt nice despite that Luigi had to be sure not to lose his hat. Though, he had been lucky to get his hat back when it blew away on Mount Shroom. If it blew off in the middle of the ocean, finding it again would not be so easy. Luigi also hoped that he could continue to rely on the Wario brothers' boat for water transportation during his quest, as it was much more convenient than the little rowboat the Yoshis had given him. In fact, Bowser's minions having smashed it up wasn't so bad after all now that Luigi had access to a motorboat. He could go back and forth between the mainland and Yoshi's Island easily as long as Wario and Waluigi's new motor didn't get busted like the old one.

Since the motorboat was much faster than the rowboat, Luigi was able to spot Yoshi's Island itself within minutes. He hoped that its inhabitants were safe and sound, or at least able to deal with the creatures the plumber had seen the last time he was there. However, it had been awhile since Luigi had left, and a lot could've happened in the time that he was absent. His heart began to pound as the boat gradually approached the shore and came to a stop in the sand. It was near the same area Luigi had washed up on after Bowser had blasted him away in Toad Town and thankfully, he remembered the path Moshi had led him down before to where the other Yoshis awaited. Luigi hopped off of the boat and turned to the Wario brothers.

"Alright, listen up," the plumber ordered. "I'll probably be awhile, so you two can do your little treasure hunting thing if you want. I really don't care."

"Ah, th-thank you," Wario replied, though his voice was shaky.

"But," Luigi continued, throwing his hands on top of the boat's head. "If you two aren't here with the boat when I get back, then you're asking for trouble. Do I make myself clear?"

"O-Oh, yes, yes of course!" Waluigi assured with a nod. "We'll be here!"

"Good. Oh, and one more thing. If you happen to find a star of some kind while you're out here, you guard it with your lives and then hand it over to me when I get back. Do you hear me? You absolutely cannot lose it! Or you'll regret it!"

In truth, Luigi actually wanted the Wario brothers to scavenge the sea for treasure. He had recalled that the list of Battle Star locations Rosalina had left behind in Alvaro Cave listed the depths of the ocean as the resting place of one of the stars. There was a chance that Wario and Waluigi would stumble upon it, thus saving Luigi the trouble of searching for it himself. Not only would it continue to add to his growing power, but it would save him a lot of time to reach Bowser as well if the Wario brothers did the work.

"Oh, but of course!" Wario complied. "We promise to give any stars we find to you! Y-You can think of it as us returning the favor for you getting us the new motor."

"Yeah, th-that's right!" Waluigi seconded. "We'll help you in return for helping us!"

"Ah, not a bad way to put it, actually," Luigi agreed. "You two are smarter than you look. Now, I'm leaving. Don't forget what I said."

"D-Don't worry, we wouldn't dream of it!" Wario replied.

"Good."

With that, Luigi started down the same path he and Moshi had taken before. All he had to do now was reach the Yoshis at the end of it and ask for their aid again. Since they knew their island better than anyone for obvious reasons, surely they would have a good idea of where something as valuable as a Battle Star would be hiding. They might even be able to provide Luigi with a map so he didn't get lost. After all, this was only the second time he had been there, and during his first visit, Luigi had hardly any time to explore. What's more, Yoshi's Island was massive. From the stories Yoshi himself used to tell Mario and Luigi about when he had rescued the brothers when they were babies, he and his friends had traveled all over the island. They visited the warmest areas, the coldest areas, the highest areas, and the lowest areas. There were jungles and forests, a volcano, caves, small mountains, and more. It wasn't nearly the size of Mushroom Kingdom, but it was big enough for even experienced explorers to get lost in.

As Luigi continued down the path however, he soon realized that something wasn't right. There were more of Bowser's cronies waiting for him than before, and some of the palm trees had been knocked over. Their trunks were slender, so Luigi was able to jump over them with no problem, but the fact that he had more enemies to face now worried him. He quickened his pace so he could reach the clearing where he'd met the Yoshis during his previous visit. If Luigi could meet with even one of them, it could prove to be greatly beneficial. Even better, he also hoped to run into Moshi and see if he could help him again. The blue Yoshi's abilities had greatly aided Luigi once before, so he had no doubt that they would again.

When he arrived at the clearing, unfortunately, the sight that greeted Luigi was far from what he had hoped to see. There were more trees strewn on the ground throughout the area and not a single Yoshi was anywhere to be found. There appeared to be no monsters nearby either, but as Luigi decided that he had no choice but to pick another path and start searching the island on his own, he noticed a giant mass of green budge amongst the fallen trees. He took a closer look and soon realized that it was a Koopa shell more than twice the normal size. Suddenly, yellow arms and limbs emerged from its holes, followed by the head. The giant Koopa then slowly stood up and turned to face the one that woke it. With angry eyes, it stomped its massive feet towards Luigi, the impact being strong enough to make the ground slightly tremble and knock the plumber to the ground.

"Aah! Well this is just great!" Luigi opined in annoyance. "Now I've got an oversized Koopa to deal with!"

Suddenly, the Koopa came to a halt not more than a few yards away from Luigi and retreated back inside its shell. It then went into a spin and charged towards the surprised plumber.

"Waaah!" Luigi cried and jumped out of the way. He was lucky he could move just a little faster.

"Ugh, how am I going to fight against this?" he wondered in frustration. "I'll only shatter my knuckles if I try using a Super Punch on a shell that big."

Luigi quickly glanced around before avoiding another one of the Koopa's charging spin attacks. There weren't any power ups or other objects nearby that he could make use of and the Koopa's shell was able to smash right through any trees and shrubs. That explained the damage Luigi had seen earlier, but it hardly told him how he could bring down the creature.

I think I need a weapon strong enough to knock it away as it charges at me… Luigi contemplated in his mind as he dodged yet another attack from the giant Koopa. It's all I can…wait a minute! Luigi then remembered that he had a weapon that the Yoshis themselves had given to him after he claimed it from another enemy.

"My hammer!" the plumber realized. Luigi then quickly produced the hammer and clutched it in his fists. He had forgotten that he still had it since he hadn't needed it in a while. Ugh, it's too small! But, maybe if I infuse some of the Battle Stars' power into it… Luigi then leaped away again to avoid being struck by the Koopa's shell. He then hefted his hammer into the air, hoping his three Battle Stars would do the trick. Moments later, the hammer glowed and grew to more than twice its normal size.

"Ha! Nothing will stop me from becoming the hero I so rightfully deserve to be!" Luigi shouted and swung the massive hammer at the Koopa as it charged for him once again. This time, the plumber managed to strike it with the hammer and send it flying to the ground on its back. The Koopa just lay there dizzy and helpless, only to have Luigi leap into the air above it and ram a Super Punch right into its torso. The Koopa bellowed in pain as Luigi jumped off of its belly and then quickly rolled over so it could stand up again. The Koopa repeated the same tactic it used before, only this time, it moved a little faster. Thankfully, Luigi was still able to swing his hammer fast enough to knock the creature down a second time, despite that it was getting a little heavy.

After the Koopa was struck by Luigi's super-sized fist once more, its eyes blazed with anger and it began to spin even faster as it charged towards the plumber with all its might. Luigi had to avoid its attack again before he was ready to swing the hammer, but once he did strike the Koopa's shell again, it didn't become dizzy and fall to the ground. This time, it managed to keep its balance and charge once more. However, Luigi wasn't giving up. He was getting exhausted from wielding such a heavy hammer, but after one more whack to the shell with it, the Koopa finally crashed to the ground in dizziness, allowing the plumber to deliver one more blow.

And luckily for Luigi, it turned out to be the final one. The Koopa bellowed again as it collapsed again and did not get up. Luigi sighed in relief as he allowed his hammer to return to its normal size. He was glad the giant Koopa went down fairly quickly, as he might have ended up pulling something from swinging such an oversized weapon otherwise. But thankfully, he hadn't, so Luigi felt able to continue searching for the Yoshis.

However, he soon spotted something on the path nearest to where he first found the giant Koopa that he hadn't noticed before. It was a trail of large footprints that headed towards the clearing, most likely left by the giant Koopa itself. Luigi decided that if he followed them to see where the creature came from, they could lead him to a clue to the Yoshis' whereabouts. What's more, the battle with the giant Koopa had left the other paths blocked with more fallen trees, and Luigi didn't want to waste time breaking his way through them. With that, the plumber rushed down the trail of footprints, hoping he wouldn't have to go too far to find at least one of the Yoshis, even if it wasn't Moshi.

It didn't take long for Luigi to notice that the trail was leading him towards the large volcano in the middle of the island. Somehow, he had a feeling that whatever had happened to the Yoshis had something to do with it. And just one lead would satisfy him for now. The good thing was, though, that Luigi could still sense Mario's presence far away, which meant that Bowser had not yet had his way with him. Perhaps Luigi managed to at least delay the Koopa king's plans, giving the brothers more time. This thought brought a grin to Luigi's face, as it proved that even he could put up a fight against Bowser's forces.

Sometime later, Luigi found himself approaching a hill at the foot of the volcano. He would have to pass over it to reach the volcano itself, but Luigi was willing to do so if it meant finding the Yoshis and the fourth Battle Star. The only downside was that like the first path Luigi had ventured through, this one was also lined with enemies. Luigi was able to squash them like bugs easily, but they proved to be quite an annoyance to him. Suddenly, however, just as the plumber reached the foot of the hill, a large, white egg with blue spots came rolling right towards him.

"GAAH!" Luigi shouted. The egg rolled so fast that he couldn't get out of the way in time. It slammed into his torso, knocking him into a tree nearby.

"Agh!" the plumber yelped as his back side hit the trunk. He moaned in pain as he slowly pushed the egg away and stood up. As Luigi gazed upon it, he realized that it looked strikingly familiar.

"Hold on, this is a Yoshi egg!" he noticed. "Only, it's much bigger than usual. I wonder…"

Luigi then jumped into the air and landed on the shell as hard as he could. However, it did not even crack. Whoever made the egg had given it an extremely hard shell. Luigi decided to try the hammer next. He produced it and swung it into the egg shell with all his might. This time, it cracked all over the place, allowing the shell to shatter, and out of the pieces popped a familiar blue Yoshi.

"Moshi!" Luigi greeted. "Am I glad to see you!"

"Huh? Oh, Luigi!" Moshi replied. "Thanks for getting me out of that shell!"

"No problem. How did you get in that egg? And what happened here? I ran into Bowser's goons all over the place. I even had to deal with a Koopa more than twice the normal size!"

"Isn't it obvious? There's only one being that would hold this much of a grudge against us Yoshis."

"Wait, you're right! Kamek!"

"Exactly. He brought more monsters here and even used his magic to create those giant Koopas. Then he sealed all of us inside eggs."

"You mean every single Yoshi is trapped in an egg like yours? Where are they?"

"Yeah. Then Kamek took everyone into the volcano and locked them up there. He also cast a spell on the volcano itself."

"Huh? What kind of spell?"

"A spell that causes it to gradually build up lava until it can hold no more. He's making it erupt violently enough to destroy the entire island and with my friends on it!"

"What?! That's insane! We have to stop this!"

"I know, but I don't know exactly where everyone is being held. That volcano has caves and paths running all over it."

"Well, how did you escape?"

"The enemies accidentally left me behind, and I managed to roll away unnoticed. In fact, I was actually hoping to find you."

"Huh. Well, I'm here. What's the quickest way inside the volcano? I might find my next Battle Star there too. It's the reason I came back in the first place."

"Ah, well, I'm afraid there is no quick way to get inside, but we're not too far from the nearest entrance as it is, so we might as well just stick with this path."

"Alright then. Could you help me search the volcano for that star as well as the Yoshis?"

"Sure. You'll need my help anyway, as it's far more difficult for a person to climb it than it is for a Yoshi. You'll see why when we get there."

"Okay. Then let's go."

Moshi nodded, and with that, Luigi hopped onto his back. The two then continued their journey to the volcano. Moshi expressed some nervousness about the trip, as they had no idea what kind of enemies or traps Kamek might have left for them, but he knew that only he and Luigi could rescue the captured Yoshis and save the island. Luigi also knew that a fourth Battle Star was waiting for him here and if the island went down, the star would probably be destroyed along with it, and he could not let that happen. But Luigi wasn't too worried. He had defeated Kamek twice before, and he could do it again. It's only a matter of time now, Luigi thought with a grin. Soon, I'll have four Battle Stars in my possession, and with luck, those Wario brothers will bring me a fifth! No one will stop me from being an even greater hero than my brother!